Wednesday, November 16, 2016

It's hard to tell who signed this receipt, but I had heard in the past that the great Chossid Reb Shaul Bruk, who was a Rosh Yeshiva and Mashpia there, would go to him for money - and already red in lernen. I've tried to figure out how much that would be in today's money, but to no avail. This was a year or so after the Ponovizher Rov founded his yeshiva and took some of the good bochurim from Achei Tmimim with him, including the R"M Reb Dovid Povarsky. Some of the notable talmidim at that time were none other than the great Reb Yoel Kahan, zol gezunt zein.

A quick search online tells me that in 1945 the Lira in EY had a 1:1 rate to the GBP (British Pound), which as valued at $4.60.An online inflation calculator says that it is about $750 in today's money. This is all reliable as Wikipedia, so take it for what it's worth, but if it is even remotely correct, then it is pretty amazing.Also, I can see ח ש ברוק, but it may just as well be any other signature. The second one is definitely ש זלמנוב which is most likely שרגא.Thanks for sharing this

A quick search online tells me that in 1945 the Lira in EY had a 1:1 rate to the GBP (British Pound), which as valued at $4.60.An online inflation calculator says that it is about $750 in today's money. This is all reliable as Wikipedia, so take it for what it's worth, but if it is even remotely correct, then it is pretty amazing.Also, I can see ח ש ברוק, but it may just as well be any other signature. The second one is definitely ש זלמנוב which is most likely שרגא.Thanks for sharing this

The Heilige Chazeyn Ish ztvk"l didn't give no $750 to the Lubavitcher academy in 1945.

If you convert the sum given to modern USA dollars, according to one calculation it comes out to around $40 (see http://www.historicalstatistics.org/Currencyconverter.html).

The conversion of historical sums to contemporary ones is not a simple matter, by the way. It may be even less than $40. Or somewhat more.

Anyway, we don't know what the kavonnoh of Maran the Chazon Ish zt"l was then (assuming what is shown here is genuine). Maybe he gave a nominal sum, mishum eivah, mipnei darkei Sholom or something like that. Maybe they had a Litvish Rosh Yeshiva on staff there then, so he wanted to help him with parnosoh.

Rav shach was political above else. to think a second that it wasn't right to support mosdos hatorah is preposterous and evil, even that school isn't up to "your par", must of the children there came from lower income families, the had a choice to enroll their kids by the outright heretics! and for free! these parents where sacrificial and chose a Chinuch Hatorah! and shach with his political agenda! saw to ostracize "them all" for political gains "his parties gains" !

בתחילת כבודוI did not find your currency exchange rate on the site you mentioned.My research indicates that it is indeed closer to the $740 mark.Please explain your methodology.I a. Not doubting or disputing you, just simply asking to explain.I would think thay even $40 is a pretty significant נתינה if it is to a Yeshiva one is apposes to. I for one do not throw around $40 donations.I think that rebcharles explanation is currently the most logical, that he was handing over appeal money

I went to the site, but currency converter does not work, it keeps spitting back an error message.As for me, I am not claiming to be an expert, but may I suggest that it is saying that 10 pounds is $40 in 1945 (the pound was fluctuated between. $4.60 and $4.10 in 1945. There was a major monetary conference at Bretton woods in 1945 that caused a major crash of the pound).This would seem about right, putting 10 pounds in the area of $40, which in TODAY'S money may be about $750.As far as all my research indicates the Israeli Lira was pegged at 1:1 to the pound. According to your calculation, it would be valued at about 20:1 to the pound.This was indeed the case AFTER 1948, When the Bank Leumi was the ccentral bank, and took about 5 years to stabilize the currency.You may know about the severe reccesion of the early 50's in EY.Anyway. It seems to me that the under British rule, the Lira EY was pegged to the pound, which has NEVER been worth than the Dollar.NO ONE can claim that $10 in 1945 would be $40 today.Either way, I have no Negia either way. Just a bias toward historical accuracy.I just request that you provide your methodology.I still believe that rebcharles explanation makes the most sense.ושלום על ישראל

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א יונגערמאן אין עולם הזה trying to do what's right. The purpose of this blog was to provide a counter opinion to the Chabad bashing that is so prevalent in blogosphere. I hope I've accomplished that objective. This is the blog for you if you have a decent knowledge of Jewish history and current events.